“Say, Pepper, do you want to disgust the lot of us?” cried Fred. “I can see the ants already, crawling up my legs.”
“I went camping once, up in the Adirondacks,” came from Dale. “The ants got so thick they covered everything we had, and we had to move in a hurry.”
“We’ll not be bothered here with ants, or horseflies either—I had them all cremated,” said Jack, and this sally brought forth much laughter.
It was late by the time supper was had and the boys had arranged their sleeping quarters to suit them.
“Any hazing to-night?” asked several.
“Not to-night,” was the answer from the most of the others. “But watch out to-morrow night!”
CHAPTER XIV
WHAT HAPPENED DURING A SWIM
On the following morning camp duty commenced in earnest and Major Ruddy and his fellow officers had their hands full. Drill and inspection were had, following breakfast, and then the camp was “policed,” that is, cleaned up. After that the cadets had two hours in which to do as they pleased.
Some boats had been sent to the spot by Captain Putnam, and some of the lads went rowing, while others went fishing and bathing. Pepper and his friends preferred a dip into the cool and inviting waters of the lake and were soon in their bathing suits, which had been brought along. Reff Ritter and Gus Coulter went off in a rowboat, followed by some others.
“Say, this is something like!” cried Andy, after a first plunge into the limpid waters. “I am going to have a dip every day I am here!”